Disney said Tuesday that production began last week on the movie, billed as the untold story of the villainess from the 1959 Disney classic "Sleeping Beauty."

"The film reveals the events that hardened her heart and drove her to curse the baby, Aurora,'' stated a release from Disney.

Directed by two-time Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg ("Avatar," "Alice in Wonderland"), in his behind-the-camera debut,and produced by Joe Roth (the recent "Alice in Wonderland" and "Snow White and the Huntsman"), "Maleficent" is written by Linda Woolverton ("The Lion King," "Beauty and the Beast") and executive produced by Jolie, Don Hahn, Matt Smithand and Palak Patel.

"Maleficent" is the latest among several high-profile movies that have filmed in Britain in recent years, including "Captain America: The First Avenger,""Sweeney Todd," "The Dark Knight" and the "Harry Potter" movies.

Britain has attracted such productions in part because of its generous film incentive, which offers a 20% to 25% payable cash rebate to productions.